COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland men's wrestling team (3-5, 0-2 Big Ten) will compete in a pair of Big Ten matches this weekend when the team faces No. 23/21 Minnesota on Friday, January 8 and Michigan State on Sunday, January 10.   

• Minnesota Live Video Coverage via BTN - 9:00 pm ET
• Michigan State Live Video Coverage via BTN Plus - 1:00 pm ET
• Follow coverage via Twitter (@TerpsWrestling)

Setting the staGe

• The Terps took 21^st in the field their last time out at the 53^rd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships hosted by Northwestern December 29-30.
• Redshirt-sophomore Dawson Peck (285) placed sixth in the field in the heavyweight division at the event, while capturing the Midlands Most Falls Award with a tournament-best four pins. Peck finished 5-3 overall at the two-day tournament, which featured some of the top wrestlers from around the country.
• Peck entered elite company in Maryland wrestling history the past week, becoming just the seventh Terrapin to place at Midlands in back-to-back seasons. Other former Terps who have pulled off the feat include: Tom Reese (1986 & 87), Phil Brown (1986 & 87), David Land (1992 & 93), Hudson Taylor (2008 & 2009), Steve Bell (2008 & 09) and Jimmy Sheptock (2011, 12 & 13).
• Peck was also just the second Terp to win the Midlands Most Falls Award, after Hudson Taylor also earned the honor in 2008 with four pins. Taylor finished seventh overall in the 197-pound weight class that year. Peck now boasts a team-best eight falls on the season.
• The Terps also turned in some solid performances at the Dave H. Lehman Franklin & Marshall Open on December 30. Redshirt freshmen Ryan Diehl (149) and true freshman David-Brian Whisler (184) won their respective brackets at the event, while Maryland went 56-33 overall on the day.
• Maryland suffered a 30-9 defeat to then-No. 4 Nebraska in its last dual match on December 11. Despite the team decision to the powerhouse Huskers, the Terps picked up two upset victories at the XFINITY Center Pavilion.
• Redshirt senior Geoffrey Alexander (133) was sharp against Nebraska in his 2015-16 dual match debut, picking up a 6-2 decision over then-No. 9 Eric Montoya. Alexander now boasts a 4-1 record on the season, and was recently featured in the Maryland Wrestling Senior Spotlight series.
• Alexander and fellow redshirt-senior Lou Mascola (157) both remain ranked top 20 in the latest InterMat Wrestling NCAA Division I Rankings. Mascola is slated 18^th, while Alexander is currently the No. 15 wrestler in his weight class nationwide.  
• Maryland is 2-1 in its past three dual matches, picking up victories over Hofstra (11/29) and Drexel (12/5). Maryland got some revenge on Hofstra after dropping a 29-12 decision to the Pride at last season's Grapple at the Garden. The Terps came out ahead with 24-13 victory.
• Maryland also had some standout performances at the Nittany Lion Open on December 6 in State College, Pa. Geoffrey Alexander (133) was in action for the first time this season after missing the first month of the season due to injury. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native was dominant, winning his two matches by technical fall and major decision. Dawson Peck (285) also went undefeated at the event, posting two pins and a 3-2 decision over NC State's Mike Kosoy.
• Redshirt-junior Billy Rappo (125) continues to lead the Terps in total victories this season, now 15-7 on the year. Rappo is also tied for second on the team with Adam Whitesell (141) in falls with five.
• Freshman Brendan Burnham delivered the Terps' biggest surprise in Iowa City on November 20 when he took out the Hawks' Burke Paddock, 9-5. Burnham is now 5-5 on the season and is 2-2 in his pat four matches.   
• Maryland Probables: Michael Beck or Jhared Simmons (125), Geoffrey Alexander (133) or Tyler Goodwin (133), Alfred Bannister (141), Wade Hodges (149), Lou Mascola (157), Derrick Evanovich or Brendan Burnham (165), Josh Snook (174), Jaron Smith (184), Garrett Wesneski (197), Dawson Peck or Youssif Hemida (285). 

scouting minnesota

(Minnesota Wrestling Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats) 

• Minnesota (4-5, 0-1 Big Ten) checked in at No. 23 (NWCA/USA Today Coaches)/No. 21 (InterMat) in the latest team rankings released this week. The Gophers are fresh off a sixth place team finish at the highly competitive Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn., where the squad placed four wrestlers inside the top eight.
• The Gophers dropped a tiebreak decision to Indiana in their last dual match, falling to the Hoosiers 19-18 on their home floor. Minnesota will be looking for its first head-to-head victory since topping the Air Force Academy 22-12 on November 21.
• The Gophers currently have four wrestlers ranked inside the top-20 nationally in the latest InterMat Wrestling individual rankings. Junior Brett Pfarr (197) is currently slated No. 4 in the 197-pound weight class, holding a 22-2 overall record on the season. Pfarr finished second overall in his bracket at the Southern Scuffle over the weekend, and was also a finalist at last season's Big Ten Championships.
• No. 10 Tommy Thorn (141), No. 9 Jake Short (149) and No. 7 Michael Kroells (285) are also all ranked inside the top-20 heading into Friday's match. Kroells is a season removed from an All-American performance at the NCAA Championships, and took third in his weight class at Southern Scuffle. Thorn has enjoyed success in his redshirt freshman campaign, holding a 22-6 record and 6-3 mark in dual matches. Short is currently 8-3 on the season, coming off a fifth place finish in the 141-pound bracket at the Southern Scuffle.
• Also projected to wrestle for Minnesota: Skyler Petry or Steve Polakowski (125), Sam Brancale (133), Brandon Kingsley (157), Brandon Krone or Dylan Urbach (165), Nick Wanzek (174), Chris Pfarr or Broc Berge (184).     

SCOUTING MIchigan state

(Michigan State Wrestling Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats) 

• Michigan State (0-6, 0-1 Big Ten) will be looking for its first dual match win of the season when the squad travels to first face No. 8/No. 8 Rutgers then the Terps on January 10. The Spartans fell to in-state rival Michigan 39-6 in their last dual match on December 10, and placed 24^th in the field at the Southern Scuffle January 1-2.
• Junior 133-pounder Garth Yenter led the Spartans at the Southern Scuffle, finishing seventh after going 4-1 on the second day of the tournament in the consolation bracket. Yenter is currently 8-9 on the season.
• Projected 141-pounder Javier Gasca has a tie for the most wins on the season for the Spartans with 11. The redshirt-sophomore just missed out on placing at the Southern Scuffle, finishing the tournament with a 4-2 record.
• Also projected to wrestle for Michigan State: Mitch Rogaliner (125), Kaelan Richards (149), Joe Johnson (157), Dean Vettese (165), Shane Shadaia (174), Shawn Shadaia (184), Jacob Cooper or Wesley Maskill (197) and Dimitrus Renfroe (285). 

last meetings

• Minnesota secured a 34-12 team decision over the Terps the last time the teams squared off on February 8, 2015. Redshirt junior Shyheim Brown (141), and alumnus Spencer Myers (285) picked up the lone victories for the Terps while Geoffrey Alexander received a forfeit.
• Maryland will be looking for its first-ever head-to-head win over the Spartans when the teams match up on Sunday. The last time the two teams faced each other was on December 6, 1969 when Michigan State pulled out a 32-0 victory. MSU leads the all-time series 0-2.  

next up

• Maryland will have another Big Ten doubleheader next weekend January 15 & 17 when the team travels to wrestle Indiana in Bloomington, Indiana and Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.  

   

 -Terps-